The scientific definition of a microorganism is an organism that is unicellular or lives in a colony of other cellular organisms. The study of these cellular organisms is called microbiology which is a subject that was first developed in 1675 after Anton van Leeuwenhoek first discovered microorganisms using a microscope.
The definition of what is actually classed as a microorganism is a very diverse subject, more diverse than many people think. Beings that are classed under this umbrella of microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, protists, microscopic plants, archaea and microscopic animals such as plankton. Many microorganisms are unicellular, although this is not a law as many live in colonies. It is also widely believe that all microorganisms are not visible to the naked eye. Whilst this is true for the majority of microorganisms, some unicellular protists and bacteria such as Thiomargarita namibiensis are macroscopic and can be seen without the use of a microscope.
Microorganisms can be found in almost every single type of habitat or ecosystem on this planet such as deserts, ice conditions such as the poles, jungles and rocky terrains. Some microorganisms have even adapted to extreme conditions and have developed sustained colonies. These are known as extremophiles.
Many people automatically associate microorganisms with germs, which carries a very negative connotation but remember that not all microorganisms are bad. In fact, your body could not function without the majority of microorganisms that exist inside you. Pathogenic microorganisms that cause diseases are ‘germs’.
There are also some very useful microorganisms that exist such as penicillin which is a very powerful antibiotic that is derived from the Penicillium fungi. Yeast is a microorganism that most people will have heard of and some may have even used it personally. Yeast is a eukaryotic microbe that is most commonly used in baking brad as it coverts carbohydrates into alcohols and carbon dioxide which helps to make the bread rise.
The definition of what is actually classed as a microorganism is a very diverse subject, more diverse than many people think. Beings that are classed under this umbrella of microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, protists, microscopic plants, archaea and microscopic animals such as plankton. Many microorganisms are unicellular, although this is not a law as many live in colonies. It is also widely believe that all microorganisms are not visible to the naked eye. Whilst this is true for the majority of microorganisms, some unicellular protists and bacteria such as Thiomargarita namibiensis are macroscopic and can be seen without the use of a microscope.
Microorganisms can be found in almost every single type of habitat or ecosystem on this planet such as deserts, ice conditions such as the poles, jungles and rocky terrains. Some microorganisms have even adapted to extreme conditions and have developed sustained colonies. These are known as extremophiles.
Many people automatically associate microorganisms with germs, which carries a very negative connotation but remember that not all microorganisms are bad. In fact, your body could not function without the majority of microorganisms that exist inside you. Pathogenic microorganisms that cause diseases are ‘germs’.
There are also some very useful microorganisms that exist such as penicillin which is a very powerful antibiotic that is derived from the Penicillium fungi. Yeast is a microorganism that most people will have heard of and some may have even used it personally. Yeast is a eukaryotic microbe that is most commonly used in baking brad as it coverts carbohydrates into alcohols and carbon dioxide which helps to make the bread rise.
